Stimulating neurons in an area of the brain not previously associated with feeding triggers binge-eating behavior in mice, research shows.

When activated by light probes, GABA neurons in an area of the brain called the zona incerta induce mice to return repeatedly to feed, researchers report in the journal Science.

“What was most remarkable was the rapidity with which the mice began to eat,” says Anthony van den Pol, a professor of neurosurgery at Yale University. “Although many brain regions contribute to the regulation of energy balance and food intake, I am not aware of any other part of the brain that can be stimulated to generate feeding within two to three seconds.”